Latest news with #MedalforGallantry
The Age
7 days ago
- The Age
Sixty years after they died together, two soldiers awarded for gallantry
But the military downplayed other acts of astonishing courage by both Wheatley and by Swanton. Warrant Officer Swanton, when he was shot on November 13, 1965, was attempting to save the life of a wounded South Vietnamese soldier by carrying him across the paddy field, knowing he was exposing himself to enemy gunfire. It was a selfless act that led to his own death after Wheatley dragged him to cover. Yet a military officer dismissed Swanton's eligibility for a medal, declaring that 'whilst his actions could be described as 'courageous', these actions are what all service personnel are expected to perform in an attempt to preserve the life of a wounded comrade'. The appeals tribunal overturned that decision. Swanton's niece Chantal Swanton-Gallant flew from Queensland to accept the posthumous award. She and her son, Nicholas Swanton-Gallant, asked for privacy after the emotional and belated ceremony. They were joined by members of Wheatley's family after the awards investiture. Wheatley's Award for Gallantry was for two separate acts of great courage. The first was on May 28, 1965 – 60 years to the day before his Medal for Gallantry was finally awarded and presented to his son, who was just 11 when he died. Pinned down by gunfire in a shallow ditch in Quang Tri Province, Wheatley saw a terrified Vietnamese girl, aged about three, break away from her mother and run screaming down the road. Warrant Officer Second Class Wheatley, aged 28 and with four children of his own back in Australia, leapt from cover and, fully exposed to heavy gunfire, ran to the little girl, scooped her up in his arms and raced her to safety, shielding her with his own body. A recommendation for a 'Mention in Dispatches' was ignored. On August 18, 1965, Wheatley charged a Viet Cong battalion alone, running up a heavy slope under fire. His action spurred a South Vietnamese unit into action, and the Viet Cong were routed. In the same action, he saved the life of US Marine Jim Lowe, earning him one of the US military's top awards for bravery, the Silver Star. Loading Wheatley's wife, Edna, travelled with son George and other family members to Sydney for Wednesday's awards investiture. It was, perhaps, some compensation for the pain and disadvantage she suffered after her husband was killed. She was sacked from her job at a western Sydney RSL Club for 'making a fuss' and demanding that her husband's body be returned for burial in Australia. She won that battle: Wheatley's body was eventually brought home, and Australian military policy was altered to ensure Australia's war dead were thereafter returned home.
Sydney Morning Herald
7 days ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Sixty years after they died together, two soldiers awarded for gallantry
But the military downplayed other acts of astonishing courage by both Wheatley and by Swanton. Warrant Officer Swanton, when he was shot on November 13, 1965, was attempting to save the life of a wounded South Vietnamese soldier by carrying him across the paddy field, knowing he was exposing himself to enemy gunfire. It was a selfless act that led to his own death after Wheatley dragged him to cover. Yet a military officer dismissed Swanton's eligibility for a medal, declaring that 'whilst his actions could be described as 'courageous', these actions are what all service personnel are expected to perform in an attempt to preserve the life of a wounded comrade'. The appeals tribunal overturned that decision. Swanton's niece Chantal Swanton-Gallant flew from Queensland to accept the posthumous award. She and her son, Nicholas Swanton-Gallant, asked for privacy after the emotional and belated ceremony. They were joined by members of Wheatley's family after the awards investiture. Wheatley's Award for Gallantry was for two separate acts of great courage. The first was on May 28, 1965 – 60 years to the day before his Medal for Gallantry was finally awarded and presented to his son, who was just 11 when he died. Pinned down by gunfire in a shallow ditch in Quang Tri Province, Wheatley saw a terrified Vietnamese girl, aged about three, break away from her mother and run screaming down the road. Warrant Officer Second Class Wheatley, aged 28 and with four children of his own back in Australia, leapt from cover and, fully exposed to heavy gunfire, ran to the little girl, scooped her up in his arms and raced her to safety, shielding her with his own body. A recommendation for a 'Mention in Dispatches' was ignored. On August 18, 1965, Wheatley charged a Viet Cong battalion alone, running up a heavy slope under fire. His action spurred a South Vietnamese unit into action, and the Viet Cong were routed. In the same action, he saved the life of US Marine Jim Lowe, earning him one of the US military's top awards for bravery, the Silver Star. Loading Wheatley's wife, Edna, travelled with son George and other family members to Sydney for Wednesday's awards investiture. It was, perhaps, some compensation for the pain and disadvantage she suffered after her husband was killed. She was sacked from her job at a western Sydney RSL Club for 'making a fuss' and demanding that her husband's body be returned for burial in Australia. She won that battle: Wheatley's body was eventually brought home, and Australian military policy was altered to ensure Australia's war dead were thereafter returned home.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Australia's most decorated soldier loses appeal against war crimes defamation ruling
Australia's most decorated living war veteran Ben Roberts-Smith on Friday lost his appeal of a civil court ruling that blamed him for unlawfully killing four Afghans while he served in Afghanistan. A federal court unanimously rejected his appeal of a judge's ruling in 2023 that Mr Roberts-Smith was not defamed by newspaper articles published in 2018 that accused him of a range of war crimes. Justice Anthony Besanko had ruled that the accusations were substantially true to a civil standard and Mr Roberts-Smith was responsible for four of the six unlawful deaths he had been accused of. Mr Roberts-Smith has never faced criminal charges, which must be proven to the higher standard of beyond reasonable doubt. He was not in the Sydney court on Friday to hear the ruling, and his lawyers refused to comment. They have a final option of appealing to the High Court. Mr Roberts-Smith, 46, is a former Special Air Service Regiment corporal who was awarded the Victoria Cross and the Medal for Gallantry for his service in Afghanistan. Around 39,000 Australian soldiers served in Afghanistan and 41 were killed. His SAS colleagues are among those calling for him to become the first of Australia's Victoria Cross winners to be stripped of the highest award for gallantry in battle. Mr Roberts-Smith has been financially supported by Australian billionaire Kerry Stokes whose media business Seven West Media is a rival of Nine Entertainment that published the articles that Mr Roberts-Smith argued defamed him.
Belfast Telegraph
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Belfast Telegraph
Decorated Australian veteran loses defamation appeal over Afghanistan killings
Three federal court judges unanimously rejected his appeal of a judge's ruling in 2023 that Roberts-Smith was not defamed by newspaper articles published in 2018 that accused him of a range of war crimes. Justice Anthony Besanko had ruled that the accusations were substantially true to a civil standard and Roberts-Smith was responsible for four of the six unlawful deaths he had been accused of. Roberts-Smith has never faced criminal charges, which must be proven to the higher standard of beyond reasonable doubt. He was not in the Sydney court on Friday to hear the ruling and his lawyers refused to comment. They have a final option of appealing to the High Court. Roberts-Smith, 46, is a former Special Air Service (SAS) Regiment corporal who was awarded the Victoria Cross and Medal for Gallantry for his service in Afghanistan. Around 39,000 Australians soldiers served in Afghanistan and 41 were killed. His SAS colleagues are among those calling for him to become the first of Australia's Victoria Cross winners to be stripped of the highest award for gallantry in battle. Roberts-Smith has been financially supported by Australian billionaire Kerry Stokes whose media business Seven West Media is a rival of Nine Entertainment that published the articles that Roberts-Smith argued defamed him.
Powys County Times
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Powys County Times
Decorated Australian veteran loses defamation appeal over Afghanistan killings
Australia's most decorated living war veteran Ben Roberts-Smith on Friday lost his appeal of a civil court ruling that blamed him for unlawfully killing four Afghans while he served in Afghanistan. Three federal court judges unanimously rejected his appeal of a judge's ruling in 2023 that Roberts-Smith was not defamed by newspaper articles published in 2018 that accused him of a range of war crimes. Justice Anthony Besanko had ruled that the accusations were substantially true to a civil standard and Roberts-Smith was responsible for four of the six unlawful deaths he had been accused of. Roberts-Smith has never faced criminal charges, which must be proven to the higher standard of beyond reasonable doubt. He was not in the Sydney court on Friday to hear the ruling and his lawyers refused to comment. They have a final option of appealing to the High Court. Roberts-Smith, 46, is a former Special Air Service (SAS) Regiment corporal who was awarded the Victoria Cross and Medal for Gallantry for his service in Afghanistan. Around 39,000 Australians soldiers served in Afghanistan and 41 were killed. His SAS colleagues are among those calling for him to become the first of Australia's Victoria Cross winners to be stripped of the highest award for gallantry in battle.
